If you are in a car accident and the other driver was at fault, you will have to file a claim with their insurance to try to seek proper compensation for your injuries. While an insurance claim may seem fairly straightforward and you may believe you can handle it on your own, you should certainly consider consulting with an experienced auto insurance attorney regarding your claim. It is especially wise to do so if you learn that the responsible party has coverage from Mercury Insurance.
Mercury insures an estimated two million drivers across the United States. The company is known to cover less desirable drivers, including those with convictions of driving under the influence (DUI), with multiple traffic violations, or who have caused a number of past collisions. Because Mercury-insured drivers are often “high-risk,” accidents involving such drivers may occur frequently.
Mercury’s Questionable Reputation
For many years, consumer advocacy groups have gone after Mercury for many reasons and the company has also gained a poor reputation with personal injury lawyers, insurance regulation officials, as well as its own policyholders. Many lawsuits have been filed against the company for questionable business practices and the Department of Insurance in California has stated1 the company abuses its policyholders and knowingly violates the law with indifference.
Some questionable practices of the company include:
- Wrongfully refusing to pay valid claims;
- Terminating a policy because a claim was filed;
- Not providing reasons for denying a valid claim;
- Not properly delivering policies in 60 days.
Overall, due to the many different violations and acts in bad faith of Mercury Insurance and its adjusters, the Consumer Watchdog advocacy group posted a billboard warning drivers that, “You can’t trust Mercury Insurance.”2
Consult with a Houston auto accident lawyer today
An experienced personal injury attorney can assist you throughout the entire claims process and protect your rights to the recovery you deserve. If you need to make a claim with Mercury or any other company, please call Stewart J. Guss, Attorney at Law at 800-898-4877 for a free consultation.
1http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/resources/MercuryBadFaithStatement.pdf
2http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jamie-court/the-billboard-mercury-ins_b_276963.html
